It is a common error of the mystically inclined, especially, the more introverted types who find the spiritual path an excuse to retreat from the complications and demands of the world, to dismiss matter, regarding it as illusion or unimportant, and focus their entire attention on absorption into spirit. But they need to ask themselves this simple question, why they are actually in this world in the first place? Why are they not just remaining in spirit and avoiding the difficulties and challenges of this world of duality? Wouldn't a loving God have let them stay in spiritual peace and bliss instead of, as it were, turfing them out of bed? Time to get up! Time to be born!
God loves us and because he loves us he wants us to grow. That's what this world is for. A training ground for the spirit in which innate potentials can be brought out and developed through the challenges we face here and questions that are asked of us. The main question, the one on which depends our eventual destination after material life, is what relation do we want with God and creation? Do we wish to conform our being to them or do we instead choose to go our own way? We can reject both as most of the world appears to be doing now or we can reject the living, loving creative God and retreat to God in his mode of pure being, a non-creative aspect of the divine. But that is a limited God and it is not what he wants for us because he wants us to be like him in his fullness, in being and in creativity, in his nighttime and daytime modes.
Many mystics misconceive the spiritual path. The purpose of this path is not to become less and less and eventually disappear but to embrace more and more of God. Only thus can you actually serve him and justify your creation. If you want to disappear into God, what use are you to him? What are you adding to creation? Why were you born and why do you live? Many mystics just want to retreat to the safety of the Mother but we are enjoined to progress to the Father which means become spiritually active and responsible, workers in creation not just chewers of the spiritual cud. For the spiritual goal is not to regress to the womb of the Great Mother but to be born anew and walk in the bright light of the Heavenly Father.
Politics is often viewed as a carnie freakshow for people are so cowed by their fears and the impressions that other fearful people make upon them. Here's my optimistic response to attempt to argue what defines politics, as broadly and thus as containing too, its highest goal. This is like a bit of nectar to aytract the bee. "Deviation [from aristocracy] typically consists of serving the self at the eventual cost of the very power that allows one to do so. My proposition, for it is new to young ears, is that only aristocracy allows each individual to be remembered and to transmit their works to someone else. Every other government is self serving at the eventual cost of what keeps people together."
ReplyDeleteThe fall of Rome was magnificently navigated with men whose only love was to carry-on the works or the knowledge of the Father. These testaments are filtered through so much biology and translation of language(myself being a fractional generation of English speakers), and yet the soul still shines light on the thoughts of men today for what greatness an achievement produced, and only a few millenia ago. Imagine if you will, being right now(and preferably as a tract to the rest of days) physically sober, what effect these thoughts and memorials of the past will do for races of men into the millions of eons yet to be. What is thought after all but the remembrance of where the soul takes its seat.
As an introverted person myself, I am often asking myself these questions, so this is a timely post. However, as a non-vaccinated person living in a country which does not allow me to get out except for shopping for necessities or going for walks, my sphere of action is more or less limited to the domestic aspects (my wife, cleaning and gardening, etc...). It is sometimes very difficult to see what active role God has in mind for me. I continue to strive to become a better person, and I am grateful for the abundant time at my disposition to read or think about spiritual matters, but I don't see many other obvious options as a "worker in creation". I suppose I could write more online (as you do), but the truth is that I am a student, rather than a teacher, in the spiritual sphere.
ReplyDelete(I used to work in academia and did well but became disgusted and discouraged by the decline, corruption, and ideological bent that became obvious in recent years [pre-pandemic]. Dr. Charlton has already covered that topic so no need to say more. Although I am still involved in a few research collaborations, I don't see myself going back with the increasingly stringent vaccine/test/mask requirements. Unfortunately, I don't have so many obvious talents besides my scholarly abilities - this is not to say that I cannot do anything else but I'm generally no better than most people...)
Transparent Unicorn, you say "I continue to strive to become a better person, and I am grateful for the abundant time at my disposition to read or think about spiritual matters but I don't see many other obvious options as a "worker in creation"". But that is precisely being a worker in creation! I don't think one has to be conventionally creative, I wouldn't say I was, but just living and serving God where one is is all that is required. Deepening one's spiritual understanding and and trying to iron our character defects is the most spiritually creative thing a person can do. I have no doubt you are on the right track and doing what you should be doing.
ReplyDeleteJust to add, you might ask how could I possibly know that and, of course, I don't but the tone of your comment certainly suggests it to me.
ReplyDeleteYou would be interested in the Divine Will messages of Luisa Piccarreta, given to this extraordinary victim soul 100 years ago. They are, in a word, astonishing, describing the Age of Sanctification. Over 40 years, she wrote the messages given her by Jesus, in 36 volumes. Would suggest beginning with vol. 12. They can be found online.
ReplyDeleteI have never felt so distant from God as I do now. And I would like to blame you, William Wildblood. I do not feel genuine from you....
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